16 Natural Treatments For Earache Found in your Kitchen!

Reviewed By: Pramod Kerkar, MD, FFARCSI

What are the Causes of Ear Ache?

Earache is pain in the ear which can be quite troublesome and extremely painful. Earache commonly affects children more than adults, as children have a horizontal Eustachian tube and so they are more prone to ear infections etc.

The most common cause of ear ache is accumulation of fluid in the middle ear. This fluid buildup could be due to many reasons such as common cold, noise pollution, ear infection, ear wax , nasal blockage, injury or trauma to the internal region of the ear, increased air pressure etc. The pain in the ear can be quite bad. Sometimes, so bad that the person is awakened from his/her sleep and finds it very difficult to go back to sleep again. In such cases, when you can't rush to an ENT specialist you can resolve this problem of earache by using natural remedies which are often available at your home, in your kitchen. Surprised? But its true and the good thing is that these remedies for earache being natural have almost zero side effects. We will take you through some natural home remedies for earache or ear pain, but bear this in mind that they are not a substitute for medical treatment and if earache or ear pain persists despite taking these remedies, then you should see a specialist immediately.

16 Natural Treatments For Earache Found in your Kitchen

Get Rid of Earaches With Vitamin C: Taking oral Vitamin C tablets boosts your body's immune system and thereby helps in preventing earache. Some of the foods which contain vitamin C are lemon, guava, orange, capsicum and tomato. Vitamin C contains natural antibiotics and antihistamine properties which help in fighting infection, fever and alleviating pain.

Alcohol free echinacea also helps in relief from earache. It is a great remedy to fight infection.

Lobelia Oil and Olive Oil: A mixture of Lobelia oil and olive oil is a good remedy to get rid of earache. Instil some drops of this mixture, using a dropper, in the affected ear and place cotton plugs over the affected ear(s). You will find relief from your earache.

Zinc: Zinc is another natural supplement which is very effective for ear ache as it improves your immunity and prevents infection. Natural sources of zinc are wheat germ, cashew nets, pine nuts, pecan nuts etc. They can be taken raw or you can sprinkle them over your salad.

For clogged ears, placing warm compresses near the affected ear helps in reducing the earache or ear pain and the throbbing sensation in the ears.

Cure Earache with the help of Sesame Oil and Garlic: Take a teaspoon full of sesame oil and add a clove of garlic to it. Warm this over the fire. Instil this lukewarm mixture in the affected ear while lying down and keep still in that same position for 10 minutes. Your earache will resolve after some time.

Mango Leaf Juice-An Effective Natural Remedy For Earache: Mango leaves can also be used for ear pain by warming them up first, then extracting the juice of these mango leaves. Instil a few drops of mango leaf juice in the affected ear and keep still in the same position and let these drops remain overnight. This is very helpful in alleviating earache.

Treating Earache Naturally With Basil Leaves: Another effective remedy is to grind some basil leaves into a paste. Keep this paste over some mild heat and squeeze out 3-4 drops in to the affected ear.

Mustard Oil is Effective in Getting Rid of Earache: This is a very old and time tested remedy for ear ache and it is supposed to cure the earache or ear pain effectively. Warm some mustard oil and instil some drops of the lukewarm oil in the infected ear and let it remain there. This is very effective in alleviating ear pain.

Mineral Oil To Prevent Earache Due To Swimmers Ear: Another condition in which there is earache is Swimmers' ear and is more commonly seen in swimmers, as they are more exposed to water. The external ear becomes inflamed with flakes and the person has ear ache. For such cases, prevention is better, so it is recommended that a few drops of mineral oil are instilled to both the ears before entering the water. This will help in preventing the swimmers ear syndrome.

Chewing Candy To Prevent Earache While Flying in Airplane: When climbing great heights or traveling in an airplane, there are changes in the air pressure resulting in clogged ear or getting earache. What you can do is chew some candy or gum, as this will help in releasing the pressure from the clogged ear thereby relieving the earache.

Allergy to certain foods such as milk, cheese etc. can also result in an earache. So, it is better to avoid these food products altogether if you are prone to getting earaches frequently.

Treating Earache Naturally with Apple Cider Vinegar and Rubbing Alcohol: Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Drip this mixture into the ear canal till it is filled. Keep it like that for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat this 3 times a day until the earache is resolved.

A mixture comprising of one part of alcohol and three parts of white vinegar should be made and 2-3 drops of this mixture should be instilled in the affected ear. Mixture of alcohol and white vinegar provides instant relief from ear ache.

Castor Oil and Effective Cure for Earache: Warm some castor oil and instil 1-2 drops into the affected ear and plug the ear with cotton pads, so the drops are sealed inside. Continue doing this twice a day, for a couple of days till the ear ache is resolved.

Hydrogen Peroxide To Cure Earache: Another effective remedy for earache is pouring a cap full of hydrogen peroxide into the ear and keeping it there for a 1-2 minutes and then draining it out.